The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-09
THE FLAGS STILL THERE.
rnrk,aSun.


 As predicted last week hy this pa- per, grSat ado was made by certain men over the mistake the president was led into by Drum, in ordering the return of hattle- flags to states fOm whence they came. As soon as Mir, Cleveland found that the return of tho flags would do no good, and might do harm. In exciting certain people of the north, he very properly revoked the order. Only a few political sol diers believe that the president should be censurNi, but hc has received tho most of the "cusSing,' If the com- mander of the C. X. R, had seen tit to address polite note to tho president, asking him to rescind the order, and telling him that the soldiers of the Union would prefer to retain tho flags, 1t would have had the same effect. Hut the commander, being an emotional gentleman. who had saeri~ feed much to procure thoso flags, felt called upon to grt up before an audi ence and "cuss," and perhaps 1t is just as well. An opportunity to show tllat a democratic president was traitor, and should bc paralyyed, was too much for the commander, X political point was made, and attempted to bc made. in favor ot the republican party against the democratic party. and that is all therc Is to 1t. One morr v@r ut politics, and the Grand Army of the Republic will be seriously injured. If not broken in twain. 1hc Sm bc- licvcs the Confederate flags should not bc returned. but it does not believe the president meant wrong to any soldier by the order. Tine best sui. diers of both sides have been trying for years to oblitorato all differences Flags have been rcturnui to the north and to the south, by private military organizations, when visiting back and forth, and the love between tho two sections has been strengthened. and 1t is nut Stiniigc iiiat the president. who was not soldier. should have taken the speeches and the acts of northern soldiers, fairehild among the number. uutabiN bN nis acts Ut jimrirsiun, ns meaning that IL was the general ,le- sire to let hN-Rums be by .gancs, and easily fell in with the recnmmenda- ton made by Drum. If the ilng mat ter had come lip H year ago. in each post ot the C. A, lt., and some good soldier in each post, with charity In his heart, should have said. "RoVs. the war is over, and we have all gut Ia die pretty soon, and IA long us tine Johnnics are becoming pretty friendly all around, and inclined tu swenr by the Union in the future, let's recon. mend to congress thnt the old tiags that we jcrkcd away from them, lr returned to them, and We will have n grand reunion of blue and gray, aud bury the hatehct," every post would have said, "Of course, What do we want of the old moth eaten flngsy Let's give them back, and shake all arouud.' That would have been the result If it had been gone at right, without any passion. and nobody would have kicked except inc iHtii,'-, But your old soldier, whose heart is warm. will do things if he concelycs the idea himself that hc could bn in- iluenccd 10 kick against If some other fellow makes the first move. The preiudiccs of the old soldier are easily excited, he k easily led, hard to drive, and free hearted as child But pol itics is making him tired. He will revolt some day at being "workcd."